BREAKING: NM DOH Putting Kids at Risk By Refusing Updated Vaccine Recommendations

Dear New Mexicans,

This week, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) decreased the number of recommended vaccines for children from 18 to 11. 

There was strong scientific basis for this change, but nonetheless, Governor Michele Lujan Grisham's administration is refusing to make any changes to the required vaccines for NM children. 

Scroll below for information about:  

• Why the CDC changed the vaccine recommendations

• NM Department of Health's refusal to make any changes to the required vaccines for NM children

• HOW PARENTS CAN OPT OUT of vaccines for NM children

WHY THE CDC CHANGED THE CHILDHOOD VACCINATION RECOMMENDATIONS

According to the Press Release from the CDC, 

“'President Trump directed us to examine how other developed nations protect their children and to take action if they are doing better,' Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. 'After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.'

"The scientific assessment compared U.S. childhood immunization recommendations with those of peer nations, analyzed vaccine uptake and public trust, evaluated clinical and epidemiological evidence and knowledge gaps, examined vaccine mandates, and identified next steps."

The updated CDC childhood immunization schedule:

• Recommends all vaccines for which there is consensus among peer nations.

• Allows for more flexibility and choice, with less coercion, by reassigning non-consensus vaccines to certain high-risk groups or populations and shared clinical decision-making.

• Ensures that all the diseases covered by the previous immunization schedule will still be available to anyone who wants them.

You can learn more here: 

• Updated Immunization Recommendations: https://www.hhs.gov/childhood-immunization-schedule/index.html

• Press Release: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/cdc-acts-presidential-memorandum-update-childhood-immunization-schedule.html

• Fact Sheet: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/fact-sheet-cdc-childhood-immunization-recommendations.html

NM DEPT OF HEALTH REFUSES TO MAKE CHANGES TO REQUIRED CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS

Under NM's new SB3 vaccine law, the Department of Health is no longer relying on the Federal recommendations to determine NM's vaccination recommendations and requirements.  Thus, even though the CDC has removed 7 vaccines from the recommended list, the NM Department of Health has refused to make this change and will not update the vaccine requirements for NM children. 

Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Meningococcal vaccines will still be required for NM children, even though the CDC is no longer recommending these for all children. 

According to Physicians for Informed Consent, all three of these vaccines contain aluminum. "Small amounts of aluminum that remain in the human body have been observed to interfere with a variety of cellular and metabolic processes in the nervous system and in tissues of other parts of the body. The greatest negative effects of aluminum have been observed in the nervous system and range from motor skill impairment to encephalopathy (altered mental state, personality changes, difficulty thinking, loss of memory, seizures, coma, and more)."

Furthermore, a study comparing long-term health outcomes found a 250% increase in chronic diseases in vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated children, with greatly increased rates of "asthma, atopic disease [allergies], eczema, autoimmune disease and neurodevelopmental disorders [such as ADHD, developmental delay, speech disorders, etc]."

The NM Department of Health is putting children at risk by REFUSING TO FOLLOW FEDERAL GUIDANCE AND CONTINUING TO REQUIRE HEPATITIS A, HEPATITIS B, AND MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINES FOR ALL CHILDREN. 

HOW PARENTS CAN OPT OUT OF REQUIRED VACCINATIONS FOR CHILDREN

Even though the NM Dept of Health refuses to update the vaccine requirements for NM children, exemptions are still allowed by state statute. We have guidance for obtaining vaccine exemptions here:

https://www.nmfa.us/post/vaccine-exemptions-for-nm-children-1

We will continue to watch closely for potential impacts to children's health in the upcoming NM legislative session which starts January 20th.  

Please SHARE to empower parents to protect their children!